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A look inside Music at FPD

Monday, August 20, 2012

Starting off the Year in Music

Welcome to Music!

Music classes are underway for the year! We are in a new, temporary space in the Fine Arts building. This will serve as the music room until the brand new building is complete.

Temporary Room

The first lesson of the year focuses on the rules and procedures for the music classroom. I use a system called Whole Brain Teaching (wholebrainteaching.com) that engages the brain of the students. Ask your child about Class/Yes, Hands and Eyes, or our CPR Rules! CPR Stands for Cooperate, Participate, and Respect.

3rd Grade Demonstrating the CPR Rules

We also focus on steady beat, which is the "heartbeat" of music. All grade levels start with a "finger dance" to Strauss' "Pizzicato Polka." The younger students are grooving to the book Pete the Cat, Rocking in my School Shoes to get the feel of the beat in our bodies. The older students are working on keeping the steady beat while playing a name game--a camp favorite you might remember, "Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?"

I have been quite impressed by the musical abilities and behavior of our FPD students. I'm looking forward to a wonderful year!